Stop-light switch



Juy 27 w26@ LQEQM@ R. K. WHNNHNG STOP LIGHT SWITCH Filed June 1, 1925 ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 27, 1926.

UNITED STATES loro PATENT FFICE.

RDBERT K. WINNING, F WAUWATOSA, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR T0 CLUM' MANUFAC-V TURING COMPANY, OF MILWAUKEE, .WISCONSIN.

STOP-LIGHT SWITCH.

Application tiled June 1, 1925. Serial- No. 34,062.

rlhis invention relates to improvements in stop-light switches.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a simple and novel type of switch mechanism adapted particularly to lend itself to constructional methods involving stamping operations. v

It is particularly the object of the invention to provide a novel type of switch casing adapted to be stamped in two parts and provide in an improved manner a base p0rtion having integral foot flanges for the mounting of the device, an upper-portion adapted to facilitate the positioning of 1e switch contacts, and a bearing formed in part from each of the base and upper pory tions of the casing.

lin the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of a switch cas- 2o ing embodying this invention.

`igure 2 is an end elevation thereof. Figure 3 is a section taken on line 3--3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail section 2a taken on the axial plane indicated by line 4 4 of Figure 2.

Like parts are identiied by the same reference characters throughout the several views. 3o The particular switch illustrated is speciically adapted for use as a switch to con- Y trol a stop signal on a motor vehicle. It is peculiarly fitted for this service by reason of the fact that the actuating connections are free to move for some distance after the switch has been closed. Such an arrangement is desirable in connection with a stop signal switch for the reason that it is ordinarily desirable to illuminate the stop signal as soon as the brake is applied and some arrangement must be made-for permitting the added movement of the brake connections which is necessary for the full application of the brake.

In such an arrangement the movement of the brake or its actuating levers or rods may be communicated to the axiall adjustable shaft 5 of the switch. The sha t is flattened at 6 and provided with an aperture 7 to receive connection with the brake mechanism. A split washes 8 applied to shaft 5 is adapted to contact with the switch casing to limit the axial movement of shaft 5 in one olirec-v tion therethrough. A similar split washer .9 is applied to shaft 5 within the casing to .at 19 and 20 in the limit the movement of the. shaft in the other direction.

The bearings 10 within which shaft 5 is reciproc'able are formed by pressure in the members comprising the switch casing. A switch casing made in accordance with this invention preferably is composed of but two separate pieces 11 and l2.

Casing member' 12 is the base section of the casing and comprises an intermediate portion 13- which is cylindrical in contour and `terminates in the vertical end portions 14 and the horizontal shelf portions 15. The shelf portion 15 of section 12 of the casing extends completely about the cylindrical wall 13 thereof and projects both laterally and longitudinally therefrom. The metal of which casing section 12 is composed extends beyond the laterally projecting arts of the shelf 15 and is bent downwar'ly at 16 to 75 comprise legs and laterally at 17 to comprise feet having apertured ears 18 through which mounting screws or bolts may be passed.

The upper casin section 11 is provided with a channel compementary to the cylindrical wall 13. Instead of being cylindrical, however,it is preferably like a broad il in cross section, being. composed of two walls 19 and 20`which are substantially at right angles to eachother. integrally with walls 8o 19 and 20 are formed the ends 22 and a circumferential tlange 25 which is complementary to the shelf section l5 of the lower casing section and is riveted thereto at 26. The bearings 10, above referred to, are formed by pressing corresponding portions of the shelf Harige 15 and of dan e 25 in opposite directions, as is clearly s` own in Figure 2, so that a cylindrical opening is left between these two flanges. 95 The purpose of providing the plane wall cap section 11 of the casing is related to the monntin of the switch contacts and terminals. Enc of the walls 19 and 20 is provided with a pair of axially 10i) aligned openings 27 and 28. Applied 'to these walls above and' below the openings therein" are the correspondingly apertured pieces of dielectric material 29 and 30 which may comprise ber, rubber, or ann other los suitable substance for the pur ose. eneath the sheet 29 of dielectric is a at spring contact 32 having an upturned' extremity 33. A tubular rivet 3ft is headed at 35 to engage spring 32 and passes therethrough and il@ through the apertures in dielectric sheets 29 and 30 to engage with a metal washer 3'? which `is placed exteriorly of dielectric sheet 30. f The tubular rivet 34; after passing through the washer 37- is expanded into engagement therewith, whereby to bind the .spring rigidly to the cap section l1 of the casing through the interposed dielectric which insulates the spring from the casing.

rlihis tubular rivet 34 also comprises a nut.

` two contacts and their respective mountings are identical and the arrangement is clearly shown in Figure d1 The contact closer carried by axially mov-- able shaft 5 is adapted to establish an electrical connection between the contacts 32 and is nevertheless insulated trom the switch casing and the shaft 5 which carries it. lhe contact closer comprises a set ol three dielectric washers 43, le and 45. Washer Zl5 is disposed between the other two and is of larger diameter.v Applied to its periphery is a channel shaped rim 46 comprising the Contact closer. rlihis channel shaped rim has anges Il? which are turned or spun'centripetally into permanent engagement with the central and larger diametered dielectric washer l5. The split washer 9' limits the movement of the three washers fil-8, lll and Ll5 in one direction upon shaft 5 and the three washers are maintained in their proper relation to each other .and in contact with the split washer 9 through the medium of a compression s ring 50 which seats against the dielectric dis d3 and, at its opposite end, against the washer 5l which abuts the end walls lllu and 22 ot the lower and upper casingV sections respectively.

The conductors which carry the current from the battery to the switch and from the switch to the light will ol course be secured to the Fixed spring contacts 32 by means of screws 38. Consequently there will be no necessity for adjustably moving any part to which a wire is connected. 'llhe two sprin contacts are insulated by the interposed ielectric sheets 29 and 30 from the walls i9 and 20 ot casing section ll and consequently from each other. ln the normal retracted position of the moving parts ot the switch the heel portions 52 ci? contacts 32 will rest upon the dielectric disk or annulus 453i When a pull is exerted on shalt 5 through incarne shaft is drawn to the lett in Figure lagainst the compression of spring 50 it will be apparent that the annular contact closer 46 will immediately encounter the elevated extremity 33 of each spring contact 32. Curthe compression spring 50 and to the en i tent permitted by split washer which ul timately contacts with the end of the twopart casing.,

lt will now be apparent that a simple compact device has been provided for the purposes aforesaid and that the particular disposition ol' the walls 19 and 20tangential to a common imaginary circle drawn about the airis ot shalt 5 of the cap section facilitates the mounting of spring contacts 32 in the desired positions so that the spring contacts will move yieldably in radial axial planes to which their flat surfaces are normal and in a manner which is very economical ot space. lltmust also be obvious to those slrilled in the art that the device herein disclosed is not only compact but can he very economically manu'actured, inasmuch as the peculiar shape ol the casing sections is such that these sections can readily be made by stamping or pressing operations. lt will be noted that the end and side walls ci the casing are seamless with the exception el' the joint between Heiliges l5 and 25 and the construction is such that il the mechanism is mounted in the usual inverted position upon the underside ,ot the body ot the car it will be substantially weather prooi.

ll claim:

l., .he a new article of manufacture, a two-- part switch casing comprising a cap section and a mounting section, each of integral construction and pressed from sheet rnatei-'iai said sections hearingl their intermediate tacing portions pressed oppositely to provide a chamber, said chamber having end and walls in each section, the two sections having facing circumferential anges extending outwardly trom the side walls.

2. [as a new article of manufacture, a twopart switch casing comprising a cap section and a mounting section, each of integral construction and pressed from sheet material. said sections having their intermediate lacing portions pressed oppositely to provide a chamber, said chamber having end and side walls in each section, the two sections having lacing circumferential flanges extending outwardly from the side walls9 and corthe eye 7 in the end thereof so that such responding parts ot' the circumterential flanges at the ends of the sections being oppositely channeled to provide semi-cylindrical bearing halves in each section.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a twopart switch casing comprising a cap section and a mounting section, each of integral con struction and pressed from sheet material, said sections having their intermediate faoing portions pressed oppositely to provide a chamber, said chamber having end and side walls in each section, the two sections having iacing circumferential flanges extending outwardly from the side Walls, and corresponding parts of the circumferential anges at the ends of the sections being oppositely channeled to provide semi-cylindrical bearing halves in each section, said mounting sectionhaving a portion of its flange extended to form mounting means for the casing.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a twopart switch casing comprising a cap section and a mounting section, each of integral construction and pressed from sheet material, said sections having their intermediate facing portions pressed oppositely to provide a chamber, said chamber having end and side walls in each section, the two sections having facing circumferential iianges extending outwardly from the side walls, and corresponding parts of the circumferential flanges at the ends of the sections. being oppositely channeled to provide semi-cylindrical bearing halves in each sec` tion, said mounting section having a Hange extension at a right angle to the remainder of the ilange forming a mounting means for the casing.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a. switch casing comprising two integral sections-pressed from sheet material, constitut ing a base section and a cap section, respectively, said sections'having their facing intermediate portions pressed oppositely to form a chamber with end and side walls formed partially in each section, the two sections having facing circumferential anges extending outwardly from the side walls, the flange on each sectlon being pressed outwardly at each end of the section to provide a semi-cylindrical bearing opening, the side walls of one of said sections being substantially Hat and substantially normal to planes drawn axially and radially with respect to a longitudinal axis about which said bearing portions are concentric.

6. AS a new article of manufacture, a switch casing comprising two integral sections pressed from sheet material constituting a base section and a cap section respectively, said sections having their facing intermediate portions pressed oppositely to form a chamber with end and side walls formed partially in each section, the two sections having facing circumferential langes extending outwardly from the side walls, the Harige on each section being pressed outwardly at each end of the section to provide a semi-cylindrical bearing opening, the side walls of one of said sections being substantially flat and substantially normal to planes drawn axially and radially with respect to a longitudinal axis about which said bearing portions are concentric, said mounting section having its flange formed with an extension at substantially a right angle thereto to form a mounting leg.

ROBERT K. WliNNllllG. 

